Air conditioned display counter



Dec. 3, 1940. K. w. HALL ETAL AIR CONDITIONED DISPLAY, COUNTER Filed July 1, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l Ke/f/Y l4! A/a// flana/d VK 1/66/1909 7 I INVENTOBS MMZW M ATTORNEYS K. W. HALL ETAL AIR CONDITIONED DISPLAY COUNTER Dec. 3, 1940.

Filed July 1, 1938 2 Sheets-Shet 2 INVENTORS ATTORNEYS u m 1 w Patented Dec. 3, 1940 PATENT OFFICE AIR CONDITIONED DISPLAY COUNTER Keith W. Hall and Donald W. McCready, Ann Arbor, Micln; said Hall assignor to Tolco, Inc., Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application July 1, 1938, Serial No. 217,102

3 Claims.

The invention relates to an air conditioned display counter suitable for use in retail stores for displaying fruit, vegetables, baked goods, cigars, and other products for which air conditioning is desirable.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a construction such that conditioned air can be efficiently supplied to various parts of the counter from a single source. More specific objects and advantages are apparent from the description, in which reference is had to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. I of the drawings is a perspective of a wall type counter embodying the invention, with portions broken away to show the interior construotion.

Fig. II is a plan on a smaller scale of an island type counter of similar construction.

Fig. III is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line III-III of Fig. I.

Fig. IV is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line IV-IV' of Fig. III.

Fig. V is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line V--V of Fig. IV.

These specific drawings and the specific description that follows merely disclose and illustrate the invention and are not intended to impose limitations upon the claims.

A display counter embodying the invention is provided with a distribution duct for conditioned air. Preferably, the counter is assembled from a series oi standard units or sections, each unit being provided with a section of distribution duct, so that a continuous duct is formed when the units are assembled. An air conditioning apparatus may then be located in. any one of the units and connected to the duct that distributes the air to all the units.

Although Fig. I of the drawings, for the sake of simplicity,shows a counter made up of similar units, the units in a counter do not all need to be of a similar type. For example, one or more of the units in the counter may be so constructed that it serves as a wrapping or weighing table instead of a display unit. In fact it may be advantageous to construct a unit containing air conditioning apparatus in the form of such a table, because a unit so constructed is likely to provide more space for the apparatus than a display unit.

In order that the proper volume of conditioned air may be supplied to all the displaycompartments in the counter, passages are provided for supplying air from the distribution duct to the compartments which are so restricted that the resistance overcome by the air in flowing through the compartments is unimportant compared to the resistance oiiered by the passages. So long 5 as the conditioned air is supplied to the distribution duct at a constant pressure, the restricted passages meter the air supply, and the volumeof air entering each compartment is substantially constant whether the compartment is empty or filled with products on display. The restricted passages offer so much frictional resistance to the air that variations in the amount of productsin a compartment do not materially change the total resistance that the air must overcome in flowing from the distribution duct through the compartment.

Because of the resistance to the air flow offered by the restricted passages, the blower or other air propelling device must supply the air to the distribution duct at a higher pressure than if restricted passages were not employed, in order to cause the desired volume of air to flow through the compartments. However, the restricted passages are advantageous in that they overcome the tendency for all. the air to flow through part of the compartments when those compartments are empty and the other compartments are full.

Most of the products that are displayed in retail stores keep best in conditioned air that has a high relative humidity and a low temperature. The relative humidityof the air is more important than the temperature, however, and the air can usually be supplied at a temperature only slightly below that of the atmosphere. The moisture content of the conditioned air may be A considerably greater than the moisture content of the air in the store.

It has been discovered that a counter made up of units or sections has many joints at which slight leakage of the conditioned air may occur. This leakage is not great enough to have an appreciable effect upon the efficiency of the apparatus. If the counter is standing upon a cold floor or with its back to a cold wall, however, the leakage of conditioned air has been found to cause considerable condensation upon the cold surface. Since the floor surface under a counter and the wall surface behind a wall-type counter are concealed the condensation may not be noticed at first, but the condensation is frequently so severe as to produce a pool of water or at least an undesirable moist condition under the counter.

In accordance with the invention, therefore,

fresh air entering the air conditioning apparatus may be supplied from a chamber extending beneath substantially the entire counter, inlets being provided for admitting air from the atmosphere to substantially all parts of the chamber. Thus air that is taken into the air conditioning apparatus sweeps across .the floor under the I counter and keeps the floor dry. Air entering the floor chamber of a wall-type counter from the rear flows down the wall of the room behind the counter and prevents condensation upon the wall. In order to remove any dust that is picked up by the incoming fresh air, the air conditioning apparatus may be provided with a filter or spray chamber of the usual type, through which the air passes.

The drawings show a construction suitable for fruit and vegetable display counters. Fig. I shows a portion of a counter made up of identical units provided with sections of duct, the units being so assembled that the duct sections form a continuous distribution duct. Located in the middle unit of Fig. I is an air conditioning apparatus 6 that is connected to the distribution duct by means of a supply duct 1. A blower 8 driven by a motor 9 supplies the air to the apparatus 6.

The main supporting members of each unit are its two side panels l0, which rest upon the floor and are tied together at the front by means of a reinforcing bar II. The rear wall l2 of each unit is secured to the side panels l0, and has its lower edge turned inward to form a flange l3. Resting upon the flange I3 and the reinforcing bar II is a "plate M closing the bottom of the unit. In the middle unit of Fig. I the plate i4 is omitted so that the apparatus which supplies the air may be mounted directly upon the floor. 7

Upon the plate l4 may be placed baskets containing potatoes and other products that do not require conditioned air. In front of the baskets or air conditioning apparatus in the lower portion of each unitis'a removable front panel 55. A row of perforations I1 is provided along the lower edge of each of the side panels l9, and air from the floor chamber beneath each of the plates M can flow through the perforations IT to the blower 8. A rectangular opening or notch I8 is cut into the rear edge of each of the side panels It. (See Fig. III.) Secured to the rear wall i2 of each unit by means of screws I9 is a drain trough that extends from unit to unit through the rectangular openings l8 and leads to a suitable drain connection.

Above the rectangular opening it in each side panel is a larger rectangular opening that permits duct sections it to connectwith one another. Fig. V shows how the duct sections are formed into a single continuous duct. Each of the duct sections it has outwardly turned flanges 2| surrounding its ends. Telescoping within the adjacent ends of the duct sections is a connecting sleeve 22,. A rubber gasket 23 surrounding the connecting sleeve 22 is compressed and seals the connection when the ends of the two adjacent duct sections are pressed together by means of connecting bolts 24. Y

At the front of the units the two adjacent side panels III are held apart by means of channelshaped spacers 25. Secured to the spacers 25 by means of screws 26 are decorative strips 21 that conceal the edges of the side panels 10. The lower end of each decorative strip 21 extends down to the floor and covers the space between the adjacent ends of the two reinforcing bars ll.

suitably shaped ledge 29, to the bottom of which is hinged a removable swinging door 30. In the left-hand unit in Fig. I the swinging door 30 is shown in its uppermost position, in which it may ,be held by a suitable catch. The doors 36 in the other two sections of Fig. I are shown in their closed positions. Finger recesses M in the doors 3!! take the place of handles.

Some distance above the lower pan 28 is an upper pan 32 ofsimilar shape. The pans are provided with similar drain openings 33. The upper ledge 34 that dovetails with the upper pan 32 is similar to the lower ledge 29, except that the upper ledge is provided with an inturned flange 35 to improve the appearance of its forward edge. Forming the rear wall of the lower air conditioned compartment in each unit is a false back 36, the lower portion 31 of which is turned backward and terminates in a flange 38 that is secured to the front wall of the duct is by'screws 39. (See Fig. III.) At each end of the false back near the top, tongues ill are turned forward and secured to the side panels III by means of screws Al. The upper edge of the false back 36 terminates in a flange 42 that bears against the bottom of the upper pan 32.

The upper pan 32 serves as the top of the lower display compartment. In order to illuminate the compartment, an electric light fixture may be provided behind a shield 43 secured to the upper ledge 34. (See Fig. I.) A light fixture for illuminating the upper display compartment may be concealed behind a'curved shield 44 formed at the front edge of the cover plate 45 at the top of the unit. Products in the upper and lower display compartments are supported upon perabove, so that the volume of air supplied to the.

forated plates 46, the front edges of which rest upon the upper ledge 34 and the lower ledge 29. At their rear edges the perforated plates 66 are supported by hooks 41 (see Fig. III), which are provided at various levels so that the perforated plates can be supported at any desired angle.

Conditioned-air is supplied to the display compartments through suitable orifices 68 in the duct section l6, and the conditioned air flows upward through each perforated plate 46 and through the bed of products resting upon the plate. The orifices 48 serve as restricted passages for metering the flow of air in accordance with the invention. The number and size of the orifices that supply the compartments may be such as to proportion the fiow of air to the various compartments in any desired manner, and the total flow of conditioned air is determined by the pressure at which the air is supplied to the duct. In any case the orifices 48 should be small enough so that the frictional resistance met by the air as it passes through the orifices is considerably greater than the resistance offered to the air by the perforated plate 46 and the bed of products therecompartments is substantially constant whether the compartments are filled with produce or empty.

Many products, such as fruit, vegetables, baked goods, and cigars, keep best in conditioned air that has a high relativehumidity and a low temperature.- However, it is e emely difiicult to supply such air to products located at some distance from the air conditioning apparatus. Even though the duct through which the air flows is well insulated, the temperature of the air rises appreciably as it flows through the duct. A small increase in the temperature of the air causes a considerable reduction in its relative humidity, so that the air is no longer humid by the time it reaches the products.

The apparatus shown in the drawings is suitable for the supplying of air at a high relative humidity to compartments that are remote from the air conditioning apparatus. The apparatus should include a spray chamber of the usual type, and the customary mist separator should be omitted so that the air enters the distribution duct heavily laden with mist. The temperature of the mist-laden air may rise somewhat as the air flows through the duct, but the mist carried by the air continually evaporates and prevents the humidity of the air from falling.

The mist-laden air flowing through the orifices S3 impinges upon baffle strips 49, secured upon posts 50 by means of screws 5!. When the air strikes the baffle strips, it is sharply deflected, so that the mist is precipitated and deposition of mist upon the products by the air that flows through the compartments is prevented. Moisture dripping from the baffle strips 49 collects in the pans 28 and 32, which have upturned rear and side edges 52. The upturned edges 52 of the pans compress a rubber gasket 53 against the main duct it and the side panels I0 to produce a water-tight joint. An upper drain spout 54 receives the water from the drain opening 33 in the upper pan 32 and leads it into the lower pan 28. Water from the lower pan 28 is led into the drain trough 219 through a lower drain spout 55, and the drain opening 33 of the lower pan is protected by a drain guard 56.

Each of the display compartments is divided into two parts by means of a partition 51. The rear wall I 2 behind the display compartments and the main duct I6 is covered with insulation 58. The apparatus may be finished in porcelain enamel or any other suitable resistant finish.

When products in the compartments are not being displayed to customers, a cloth may be thrown over the apparatus to close the display compartments. It should be noted that the display compartments need not be open at the front; if desired, the compartments maybe enclosed at the front, for example, by slidable glass partitions. If the display compartments are of the closed type, an outlet should be provided for discharging into the atmosphere or recirculating back to the air conditioning apparatus the air that is displaced from the display compartments by the conditioned air that is supplied.

Fig. II shows four rectangular units like those of Fig. I, assembled with four triangular units to form an island type counter. The construction of the traingular units is similar to that of the units of Fig. I. except that the horizontal members of the units have converging sides rather than parallel sides. The decorative strip 21 that conceals the front and upper edges of the two pairs of adjacent side panels of the triangular units is carried as a. continuous strip down the middle of the counter to cover the crack between the two pairs of rectangular units.

It should be noted that each reinforcing bar I l is provided with perforations 59 through which air enters the floor chamber beneath the plate l4. Each floor chamber is open at the rear and the floor chambers under each of the units in the island counter of Fig. II are in communication with one another, so that they may be said to form a single chamber extending beneath substantially the entire island type counter. Since the counter shown in Fig. I is designed to stand against a wall, air entering the floor chamber under the plate M from the rear must flow down the wall behind the counter.

The construction illustrated in the drawings may be modified, and various embodiments of the invention may be devised to meet various requirements.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. A display counter comprising, in combination, a plurality of display compartments, a distribution duct for conducting mist-laden air under pressure, said duct being provided with perforations in communication with said compartments, bafiling means for separating mist from the air as it leaves the perforations, andmeans for draining off water separated by said baffling means. i

2. A display counter adapted to rest upon the floor of a room comprising, in combination, a plurality of counter units, an apparatus in one of the units for supplying conditioned air to the units, and a chamber open at the bottom, for enclosing an air space between said floor and the bottom of each of the other units. which is in communication with said apparatus to supply conditioned air thereto, and which is provided with an inlet for admitting untreated air to the chamber directl from the atmosphere.

3. A display counter adapted to rest upon the floor of a room comprising, in combination, a display compartment, an air-conditioning system communicating with said compartment for supplying air thereto, and a chamber open at the bottom, extending beneath the bottom of substantially the entire counter, for enclosing an air space between said floor and the bottom of the counter, and communicating with said system to supply air thereto, inlets being provided for admitting untreated air directly from the atmosphere to substantially all parts of said chamber.

KEITH W. HALL. DONALD W. McCREADY. 

